The Buell 1125R has been making an impression on tracks in Europe and Canada with impressive podium finishes but now they can add a win in a professional race in the U.S., as well, the MOTO-ST Road America 500. Steve Crevier, who took 3rd in the Canadian Superbike opener a couple of weeks ago, teamed up with Shawn Higbee for the win.
The 1125R is doing very well on both road and track which is all the more interesting since it was promoted by Erik Buell as a street oriented motorcycle. For a new bike, the Buell looks pretty hot.
Buell press release:
The No. 8 Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing Buell 1125R ridden by Shawn Higbee and Steve Crevier clinched pole and took the overall and Buell Motorcycle Company SuperSport Twins class wins at the MOTO-ST Road America 500K in Elkhart Lake, Wis. June 7. It was the first major North American professional road racing win for the Buell 1125R.
Unpredictable and rapidly changing weather conditions delayed the start of the originally scheduled 3-hour race by more than an hour and ultimately reduced its length to 1 hour and 40 minutes. Tire choice was a gamble, with the formation of a dry racing line hampered by sporadic light drizzle throughout the race that favored teams that chose intermediate or full-wet Pirellis. But the Buell pulled to the front on Lap 17 of the 36-lap race and pulled away to a 31-second lead over the second place No. 6 Aprilia USA/Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Aprilia Tuono 1000R.
“I don’t have a lot of rain experience at this track,” said Higbee. “We were a little conservative early and after about 10 laps a dry line started to appear. Then it started drizzling just as I was getting happy with the track and I think that was a defining moment. I backed it down a lot and from then on the race seemed to go our way.”
Canadian Steve Crevier, who joined the Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing team at the Road America round, echoed his teammate’s comments about the weather: “It was crazy out there,” the six-time Canadian Superbike champion said. “We thought about going to a slick tire on the final stint, but didn’t want to take the chance in case we got downpour.”
In the BMW Motorcycles GrandSport Twins (GST) class, the No. 70 James Gang/Hoban Brothers Racing Buell XB12R sponsored by Harley-Davidson/Buell of Appleton and ridden by Paul James and Jeff Johnson took third place and jumped to the lead in the GST class standings after the first three rounds, taking over the points lead from the No. 7 Ritchie Morris Racing/Hal’s Harley-Davidson/Buell XB12R ridden by Clint Brotz and Dan Bilansky, which retired early with a rear wheel bearing failure. The No. 70 now leads the GST class with 92 points followed by the No. 7 with 88. The James Gang/Hoban Brothers team also earned the Roaring Toyz Best Looking Team award.
“Tire choice was critical,” said Paul James. “We made the call to switch to DOT tires during our final pit stop, but the Pirelli rain tires the class leaders used appeared to hold up for the whole race distance, and in hindsight those were the better choice. But it’s great to have a solid finish on our home track, and I always knew we had the best-looking team!”
tom w. says
Congratulations Buell!! My whole life I’ve been waiting for a US manufacuturer to produce a real performance bike, and it seems like we’ve finally got one.
And Moto-St will be part of the AMA next year, and the other classes will also allow a wide variety of bikes to compete.
2009 should be a very interesting year in motorcycle racing. With BMW and KTM introducing their new superbikes and Buell doing their part (on an admitedly smaller scale) and with the AMA adopting a rule structure that will allow some of the smaller manufacturers to get involved, we may finally see some variety injected into the five brands who have dominated for so long.
Variety is good.
It will be nice to be able to buy a real performance bike that isn’t a Ducati or an inline-4.
Loomis says
American bike. Austrian motor, built/designed by rotax.
kneeslider says
Engine manufactured by Rotax, designed by Buell.
See my interview with Erik Buell.
Matt in NC says
I’m reading so much positive press about this bike I’ll just have to find out if the local Buell dealer has one they’ll let me take for a spin.
I hope this is the beginning of a string of many great things from Erik Buell! (Not that his previous designs weren’t great, just in need of something more, and now that powerplant looks to be taking his vision in the right direction)
Steve in Los Angeles, Ca. says
When it comes to engineering, Buell has it going away! Gas in the frame, low CG, short wheelbase, belt drive that will handle 130 HP. ect, ect. As a tool and die maker I would like to think I know good engineering when I see it. With the addition of the Rotax engine this is close to S.O.T.A. Hats off to Mr. buell; it takes GUTS to be different!
Narflar says
Steve I wouldn’t be touting the belt drive as better engineering as it gave them problems in the Daytona race and was replaced with a more reliable chain drove for the Road America race.
Quote from elsewhere:
It was the Rossmeyer Buell that caught fire in the pits, the result of several race-long problems with the 1125R’s drive belt. Tight jaws in the Rossmeyer pit spoke of a chain drive for their extremely competitive machine in time for the next round.
I’m sure work will be done to be improved but the friction from the belt and sprocket have to be a lot more than metal to metal with a chain/sprocket setup.
I am surprised the ZTL breaks are holding up to the racing demands though.